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Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has strongly opposed India’s participation in the upcoming cricket match against Pakistan, scheduled for 14th September at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Speaking at a press conference at Matoshree, Thackeray criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, accusing them of prioritizing publicity over patriotism and national dignity.
Thackeray questioned whether attending the match, along with BJP officials, including BCCI secretary Jay Shah, would be considered an act of treason. “If Neeraj Chopra is labeled a traitor, should Jay Shah also be called a traitor for attending the match tomorrow?” he asked sharply.
“Harbhajan Singh said that the cricket match shouldn’t take place. Saurav Ganguly also made similar remarks. Now, cricket is in Jay Shah’s hands. Whether the country wins or loses doesn’t matter to them. If someone speaks against them, they say, ‘Go home.’ Earlier, they shifted the final match to Ahmedabad for money. They are obsessed with money,” Uddhav Thackeray said.
The Shiv Sena leader further expressed his disapproval of the government’s handling of national security issues. “Earlier, tickets for the India-Pakistan match would be sold out instantly. Even now, the expected response is missing. A weak government like this will not give us justice. Forget about Pakistan, I no longer believe they can bring back Pakistan-occupied Kashmir,” he said.
Thackeray also criticized campaigns like Har Ghar Sindoor, which he described as “shameless,” and compared Modi’s approach to foreign policy as “sluggish and crawling.” He stated, “If Sardar Patel were Prime Minister today, Pakistan would not exist, and there would be no question of playing cricket with them.”
In response to the match, Shiv Sena announced that protests would be held across the state. Thackeray urged “patriots across the country” to express their dissent, warning that the government’s obsession with publicity is detrimental to national interests.
The party’s women’s wing will lead a symbolic protest named Sindoor Raksha, scheduled for Sunday. “At 11 a.m., women’s wing members will gather in public squares and place packets of sindoor in containers to be sent to Modi’s office. We will send ‘Har Ghar Se Sindoor’ to Modi. This is the right time to tell him firmly: ‘This will not happen!’” Uddhav Thackeray said.
